1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automated apparatus for separating downturned flaps of paperboard cases, which are joined by tabs to hold them against the sides of the cases while the cases pass through automated filling equipment. More particularly, it relates to an improved form of such apparatus, which gives an additional choice to using apparatus incorporating sharp instruments or simply relying on the manual breaking of the tabs. Most especially, it relates to such an improved apparatus, which is both safer and more reliable than prior art apparatus for cutting the flap tabs of such cases.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of and advantages of paperboard cases in which flaps for closing the cases after they have been filled are downturned and held together against the sides of the case by tabs connecting the flaps is both widely known and prevalent in the bottling and related industries.
A variety of automated apparatuses employing either fixed or movable knives, saws and similar sharp instruments for cutting the tabs so that the flaps can be folded over to seal the case after it has been filled are also known in the art. For example, such apparatuses are described in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: Nigrelli et al, 3,373,543; Standley, 3,387,522; Standley et al, 3,559,368; Roth 3,593,489; Pagdin et al, 3,726,061 and Dichiara, 3,733,772.
Such apparatuses have achieved some acceptance in the bottling and related industries. However, it should be recognized that there is considerable dimensional variation in packing cases which are nominally of the same size. Since knives or other sharp instruments must be precisely positioned to cut the tabs without cutting or otherwise damaging the cases themselves, considerable precision in such apparatus is required. However, the result of feeding dimensionally imprecise cases through dimensionally precise slitting apparatus is often jamming of the cases in the apparatus.
While the necessity to correct jamming in such apparatuses is in itself a significant problem, the difficulties are compounded by the fact that bottling equipment operates on a high throughput basis. Workers on bottling and packing lines often attempt to correct such jamming quickly, to avoid the necessity of shutting down other portions of the line while the jam is corrected. The use of knives and other sharp instruments in such apparatuses therefore creates significant safety hazards for the workers when they attempt to correct jamming under such conditions. Thus, while the art pertaining to automatic slitting of tabs joining case flaps is a well developed one, a need still remains for the development of an apparatus and method for separating the flaps of such cases which will overcome the above and related problems.